Nigeria’s new Minister of Power, Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has assured Nigerians that repeated national grid collapses, unstable electricity supply, and vandalism of power infrastructure will soon be addressed through urgent reforms.

Tegbe gave the assurance on Wednesday during his screening before the Senate plenary in Abuja, where lawmakers later confirmed his appointment after extensive questioning on the state of the country’s electricity sector.

The screening session, presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, focused heavily on the recurring collapse of the national grid, weak transmission infrastructure, and the growing liquidity crisis in the power sector.

Lawmakers warned that Nigerians were tired of repeated promises and demanded measurable improvements within a short period.

Senator Tahir Monguno described the persistent collapse of the national grid as a major setback to Nigeria’s economic and industrial growth.

“Grid collapse has become a recurring decimal, undermining development. Transmission has failed to match generation capacity,” he said.

Responding, Tegbe admitted that the sector’s challenges were deeply rooted and linked to poor coordination, inadequate gas supply, and weak enforcement of technical standards.

“Grid collapse is not accidental; it reflects deeper structural problems,” he stated.

The minister-designate announced a 100-day reform plan aimed at stabilising the grid and improving public accountability through a performance monitoring system.

“If there are no results in three months, there will be none in six. Nigerians should hold us accountable,” he declared.

Tegbe also accused certain individuals of benefiting from the inefficiencies in the electricity sector and vowed to confront sabotage directly.

“There are elements that do not want the system to work because they benefit from its failure. We will take them on,” he said.

On the issue of vandalism, he described attacks on power infrastructure as a national security threat and promised closer collaboration with security agencies, including the military and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The minister-designate further acknowledged the worsening liquidity crisis in the sector, estimated at about N6tn, and described the current financial structure as unsustainable.

He pledged reforms that would support market-reflective electricity tariffs while ensuring affordability for vulnerable Nigerians.

“Electricity pricing must reflect market realities, but affordability remains essential. We will ensure a fair balance,” he said.

Lawmakers also pressed Tegbe on rural electrification and metering challenges affecting millions of consumers nationwide.

In response, he promised to expand mini-grid and renewable energy projects, especially solar-powered systems, to underserved communities.

“Decentralised energy will be key to reaching underserved communities and ensuring inclusive access,” he added.

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described the power sector as one of Nigeria’s biggest economic challenges, stressing that industries cannot survive without reliable electricity supply.

Despite the intense scrutiny, senators expressed cautious optimism in Tegbe’s ability to deliver reforms, citing his professional background and reform proposals.

In his closing remarks, Tegbe assured Nigerians that transparency, discipline, and collaboration would drive improvements in the sector.

“This is a difficult assignment, but progress is achievable with transparency, discipline and collaboration. Nigerians will see change,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu had forwarded Tegbe’s nomination to the Senate following the resignation of former Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down to pursue the Oyo State governorship ambition.

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Nigeria’s electricity sector is facing renewed pressure as mounting debts owed by Generation Companies (GenCos) to gas suppliers disrupt fuel supply, triggering widespread grid instability and persistent blackouts.

Industry players say the core issue is unpaid obligations across the value chain, with GenCos struggling to meet payment demands from gas producers.

According to the , liquidity challenges remain unresolved, despite ongoing government interventions.

A GenCo executive noted that a significant portion of revenue goes directly to gas suppliers, leaving operators financially strained.

Heavy dependence on gas worsens situation

Nigeria’s power generation relies heavily on gas-fired plants, which account for over 70% of electricity output.

This dependence makes the sector highly vulnerable to supply disruptions, especially when payments to gas suppliers are delayed.

Forex challenges adding pressure

Operators also face foreign exchange constraints, as gas is priced in dollars while revenues are earned in naira.

The gap between official and parallel market exchange rates has created additional losses for power producers, further weakening their ability to sustain operations.

Grid instability and economic impact

Data from the shows that fluctuations in power generation are closely linked to inconsistent gas supply.

This has led to:

• Frequent voltage drops
• Power plant shutdowns
• Reduced electricity output nationwide

Businesses are already feeling the impact. A manufacturer in reported reduced production capacity and rising operational costs due to unreliable power supply.

Infrastructure and security risks

Beyond financial issues, pipeline vandalism and crude theft in the continue to disrupt gas flows, worsening supply challenges and exposing the grid to further instability.

Government interventions yet to yield results

The has introduced several measures to stabilise the sector, including:

• Approval of ₦185 billion to settle debts owed to gas producers
• Plans for a ₦4 trillion bond to clear arrears in the power sector

However, experts warn that these efforts may not be sufficient without deeper structural reforms.

Experts call for urgent reforms

Energy analysts stress the need for:

• Cost-reflective electricity tariffs
• Improved payment systems across the value chain
• Better access to foreign exchange
• Enhanced infrastructure security

Without comprehensive reforms, stakeholders warn that Nigeria’s electricity crisis could persist, threatening economic growth and industrial productivity.

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Nigeria was plunged into widespread darkness on Thursday after the national power grid collapsed, forcing electricity generation to drop to a historic low of 24 megawatts.

Checks revealed that power output crashed from over 4,500MW to just 24MW by about 1:30 pm, triggering a nationwide blackout that affected homes, offices, and businesses across the country.

Industry sources confirmed that all 23 power generation plants connected to the national grid lost supply during the incident, leaving the 11 electricity distribution companies without power allocation.

As of the time of filing this report, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had yet to issue a detailed explanation on the cause of the collapse, although officials said efforts were ongoing to restore supply.

This incident marks the first grid collapse of 2026, coming barely weeks after a similar system failure recorded on December 29, 2025, which also led to widespread outages nationwide.

In recent years, repeated grid failures have been linked to technical faults, weak transmission infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and sudden fluctuations in power generation. Stakeholders have warned that without urgent upgrades and contingency systems, such incidents may continue to disrupt the economy.

Energy experts say the latest collapse has once again exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s electricity network, raising concerns about its capacity to support industrial growth and meet rising energy demand.

While Nigerians await an official statement from power authorities, the recurring outages have renewed calls for structural reforms, improved grid management, and sustained investment in the power sector.

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